By Any Means Necessary
by SpiceNdDynamite
Summary: Hermione was broken after the war, but when the ministry implements a new law -a marriage law- she's sure nothing can get any worse. With Draco and Theo by her side can she find the courage to find herself again or will she fall into the background and leave the world saving to the men?
1. Chapter 1

Hundreds of Barn Owls flew through open windows, dropping heavy, cream envelopes indiscriminately. The nervous muttering fell into silence and the air was filled with the beating of wings and the collective, rhythmic thud of envelopes. There was a moment when no one moved as fear and unease had taken our minds. The war was over. All summer, Death Eaters were collected and tried, most of which were in prison, far away from those of us that were 'good', and yet, the fear remained. It was a nervous ball that screamed from where it had been locked and chained, unnecessary, overreacting, because the Ministry swore you didn't need to be afraid.

'They're all gone now' but if that were true why did the moving photograph of Dolohov, gaunt and sickly, still make me ache for my wand. If everything was better, why did we all still feel so afraid?

"May I have your attention?" We were happy to remove our trembling fingers, content to be reassured that the contents of this missive weren't somehow, someway, connected to the monsters locked in Azkaban. Still, beyond the nervousness my fingers itched with the curiosity that marked me as Gryffindor's Bookworm. Swotty-Know-It-All-Extrodinaire. Headmistress McGonagall stood before the teacher's table, severe features trained on none of us and all of us as she seemed to work up the strength to unglue her tongue from the roof of her mouth.

I'd never seen her make such an expression. For the first time, McGonagall was human. As this elderly woman stood before us, hands clasped in a way that made her look small, the itch returned. Curiosity. Fear. I slid my letter into my lap, thumbs working at the seal as she took one, last, deep breath.

'Hogwarts' Administration has always acted for the good of the student body," dark eyes darted about the room, connecting and collecting as they went. I worked the letter free of the envelope when her eyes darted towards Slytherin, "and in return you all put your lives on the line for Hogwarts and all of Wizarding Britain."

_To Whom this May Concern,_

_Thank you for your service. Your efforts during the Great Wizarding War are noted and appreciated._

"It is with a heavy heart that I must ask you to sacrifice yourselves one more time. In the face of this law I am as helpless as I was last year and I regret being unable to save you all. It was all I could do, as headmistress, to save the third and fourth years."

_Last year's Great War has taken a toll on all of us_\- my throat felt dry and angry, disgusted that ministry workers believed that they had any right to comment on the suffering we underwent in the face of their indifference. When it was time to act they were hidden in their pretty offices, too busy to be interrupted by paranoid, overzealous teens. But now -when teens had risked their lives. When it was all over and done, they were sorry. They were victims.

I swallowed the bile that flavored my palette, forcing myself to digest the words staring back at me. _And it is with the utmost hesitance that we report that Wizarding Britain's population is down by forty percent. Our predictions suggest that, should the government not intervene, Wizards will become extinct by 2080. It is because of this that the Wizengamot has come to the conclusion_-

Cries of outrage exploded about the room as envelopes were torn into. One by one those angry voices melted away leaving me to stare in disbelief at the last line of the paragraph. Surely I'd read it wrong.

_Witches and Wizards between the ages of 15 and 45 will be paired via the test attached. _My stomach rolled. Pairs? Extinction? Surely the ministry didn't truly expect...I flipped through the test booklet, scanning the questions with furious disbelief. _...favorite potion...sexual history...blood preference._ I slammed the packet down, heart racing as I tried to gather the courage to assess the situation.

"I won't do it." That tight drawl clawed against my eardrums like forks against rust. How dare that pathetic, sniveling, _rat_ have more bravery than I? How dare he stand against a corrupt system while I shook, terrified and broken in my seat. My youth, my sanity, it all hung on the line while Draco Death Eater Malfoy stood strong. And alone.

"Neither will I, Headmistress this is hardly legal. We're underaged." There was a wave of affirmation, children rose from their places, shouting and gesturing. All of us desperate to believe that our voices could come together and mean something.

We defeated Voldemort. If we could kill the un-killable we could band together against the pencil pushers trying to steal our youth.

Her sympathetic gaze darted between the lot of us, dark eyes shimmering as she turned away from the podium, "please read the cautionary advice behind your tests. The Ministry is willing to stop at nothing to ensure the continuation of wizard-kind."

Rage and disbelief and despair.

_Any and all opposition is to result in execution. If you are unavailable then your family will take your place until you can be located._

No warnings. No jail time. No fines.

I dropped into my seat, tongue numb, fingers itching to crack the seal on my stolen fire whiskey. Dinner appeared before us, nauseating and decadent and-

My bag was on my shoulder. My mind was made up. Harry and Ron banged their fists on the table, startling me, as they rallied fifth and sixth year's about them, "when Voldemort took over Hogwarts we had two options; lay down or die! But they couldn't tear us down then and they can't keep us down now!" His words settled into my gut like ice, coating the ashes of my fighting spirit in angry, helpless shards.

"Guys," I swallowed the biting remarks that made my tongue taste bitter. Ron paused a moment, big, blue, adoring eyes staring up at me as I took a breath, "I'm going to go. I don't feel like eating." They both nodded in understanding fire still blazing as they turned back to their audience.

"Who's with us!"

XxXx

"Granger!" Nott's heavy fists slammed against the door, incessant and demanding, "let us in." Theodore Nott was our brilliant, Slytherin, Head Boy, a gifted spell caster, and my unlikely partner in crime. When McGonagall announced that I'd be sharing a dorm with a Slytherin my rage had be unimaginable. After all Slytherin house had put us through, after all the rubbish they'd spouted about blood purity there was a Slytherin head boy? Years of fear and ridicule had been thanks to the students in green.

As if he strove to make matters worse, after I'd fussed and cursed and stamped my foot he asked, "am I the prejudiced one if you're the only one putting up a fight." My face had gone puce as I reeled, prejudiced? His people had murdered muggles and tortured mud bloods in the name of a half blood lord and he had the gall, the audacity-

Those words had spilled from lips unchecked and unreasonable.

And then I called him a bigot and an elitist and a death eater. All of Slytherin table had gone up in outrage, demanding that the prejudiced Gryffindor be replaced as McGonagall tried in vain to quiet us down.

Theo had twisted his lips in a nasty way as he exposed his wrist. A shimmering Phoenix adorned his arm, "our people may have hurt muggles, but my family and I fought along side you. Always. I resign."

I still remember the taste of my words. 'Death Eater' had tasted bitter and now that taste seemed to infect me one piece at a time. Watching him walk back to Slytherin, head high as the entirety of the table raged against me made my stomach twist with violent regret.

"Nott, I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I didn't think." I'd caught up to him and placed my badge in his palm, "I don't- I shouldn't have-," he watched me stammer, green eyes cold before a tiny smile twitched at the corner of his lips.

"Forgiven, partner."

The days that followed had been reluctant and stifling. Being alone with him made me sick with guilt. The things I'd said to him, the way I'd screamed. It filled every awkward silence.

"I should apologize properly," I'd sat before him in the head's common room a fresh bottle of muggle whiskey hanging from my fingers.

His eyes didn't leave his book, but his pen had stopped scribbling as he waited.

"I was a twat and I'm deeply sorry. My attitude regarding Slytherin house needs to be fixed and I realize this." When he didn't budge I'd added, "I brought whiskey."

"Not much of a drinker," he unfolded long, graceful legs and headed towards his room, leaving me staring down at my rejected offer. A series of clinks and clanks caught my attention as he sat down two glasses and an ash tray, "but I'll try yours if you try mine."

Heavy knocking called to me again, demanding my attention, "Granger!" My friendship with Nott began as an attitude adjustment, a way to get my head back on my shoulders properly, and now?

"Granger!"

"Who is us?" My tongue felt thick as I adjusted my hold on the heavy glass dangling from my fingertips.

"U-," a pause, a snicker "USSS." The lock trembled and turned and in spilled two heads of blonde hair. Their clothes reeked of smoke and heavy eyelids hung over reddened eyes like shades.

My whiskey addled brain counted the blondes in my bedroom once and then twice before asking straight out, "why's Malfoy here?" I tried to twist my lips into a snarl, but the result caused Theo and Malfoy to giggle wildly.

Two glasses floated in and landed before me as Theo gasped around his own misplaced amusement. "The more the merrier, right. Now, whiskey whiskey whiskey!"

"Besides ,Granger," Malfoy's lopsided smirk was goofy and his eyes damn near shut, "I've brought snacks." His bag was laden with crisps and various HogsMeade goodies.

I wanted to argue, to insist he leave and take his goodies with him, but my words were drowned out by the tremble of stone. The shelves quivered feebly as books went dancing off shelves. Slabs of stone and dust fell around us like hail. Long fingers coiled around my wrist, tugging me towards the bathroom. Theo's terrified eyes darted about as we searched for a way out of our tower. The window in the bathroom was too small to squeeze through and the building trembled again. Gryffindor Tower was lit with flashes of green and red as -what looked to be curses- flared to life ever few moments.

Struck down without hesitation. My stomach rolled with terror as I swung the bathroom door open. Rock and dust still fell dangerously from the ceiling, but there was no time to worry about that. My wand was in my hand and I pushed against Whiskey's calming fog. Time quivered as I pushed against the binds of reality. Slabs hovered dangerously six or so feet above the ground, foreboding and dangerous. If there were another way I'd have never darted beneath them, but my boys were in trouble. Theo and Malfoy swore violently as stone crashed at our heels, but when we stumbled out of the tower and into the halls below the trembling ceased.

MY breaths came in labored bursts as panic squeezed at my lungs, "I've got to go help Harry." Three pairs of foot steps beat against stone as I spat the password at the fat lady, pulled my wand from my waist, and "expelliarmus!" Several aurors stood in the common room, two of which held Harry while three held down Ron as they squirmed desperately towards the shattered ends of their wands.

Those who stood in the way of the law were to executed without hesitation. Without hesitation. _Without hesitation._

"What," my breaths came in pathetic bursts, "what are you all _doing_?" Third and fourth years stood trembling against the wall, wands clutched to their chests as they stood before the first and second years.

"Harry James Potter and Ronald Billius Weasley are guilty of conspiring against the Ministry of Magic. The penalty for treason is execution. Miss. Granger, you would do well to stand down. The penalty for interfering is just as severe." At their feet lay a woman -judging by the robes- a teacher. Her dark hair was unwoven as generous silver streaks glittered in the candlelight. McGonogall.

Rage boiled over and there was a heavy, _thwump _as my vision cleared. Available aurors crowded around the body, wands drawn -no, aimed- at me. My peripheral was painted green as two of the guards holding Harry and Ronald fell. Ron squirmed free, grabbed half of his wand and immediately began sparring against the Auror closest to him. Two spells, three spells, dead. I could feel myself fighting, could feel the way magic hummed along my skin, to admit what I was doing...

Another Auror dropped and I circled back. Malfoy was on the losing side of a duel. Pale eyes stared unseeing as he dodged green flashes. His left arm hung uselessly at his side while he swung recklessly with his right. Spells bounced off of his shield, ricocheting towards the crowd.

I pulled the wine opener from my pocket, squeezed my eyes shut, and -

Blood was stickier than people imagined. The auror seized against me, digging terrified fingers into my trembling hands. It took too long for him to die.

When I opened my eyes Ron and Harry were staring. Theo was busy tending to his battle weary friend, removing the enchantment on his eyes and tying his arm.

"They said no hesitation," my throat felt tight and the whiskey rolled inside me like rain clouds, "that means by any means necessary."

_A.N./: This is the first thing I've written in three years, so I'm ridiculously rusty. Hope you enjoyed it. _


	2. Chapter 2

Ink from my ball point pen pooled along my questionnaire as I glared dangerously at the crumpled missive before me. Dumped. Forgotten. Left behind. I glowered at the form before me. While we dealt with the bodies and the aftermath Harry and Ronald had slipped to St. Mungo's with McGonagall and never returned. My only explanation came from the blurred, scribbles that had been dropped into my cereal this morning.

"If you squeeze that pen any tighter there's gonna be ink everywhere." Theo'd read their letter over my shoulder clicking his tongue as he went, "besides. They had a plan. Six aurors arrived at Hogwarts last night to execute Harry and Ron and none of them came back. If they stayed it would imply that they'd either single handedly dispatched trained professionals or that they'd had help." He waited for me to acknowledge his clever points, eyebrows quirked as I started scribbling my name.

"And if anyone is gonna go down helping Pot-Head and Weaslebee it would be Hermione Granger and that Ginger girl always hanging around Scar Face." Malfoy's interjection was unwelcome at best as he dragged over a chair. His own survey was crumpled and I watched him smooth it against the table a bit.

"You have to admit. They thought it through. Now, you have to trust them and do your part here." Theo's long tan fingers tapped at the ink stain, smearing it along the page.

I stared back down at the page, fuming silently as I began packing my things, "I'm going to Hogsmeade. My whiskey got crushed when the tower collapsed and what's left of Hagrid's stash is hardly fit for human consumption."

"Whiskey?" Posh vowels tinkled and chimed as her silent steps came to a halt behind me, "first war, then whiskey, what's next ? Murder?" Emerald eyes shined with a wicked kind of mirth as she shifted her bag on her shoulder.

"Hello Parkinson," she bowed her head a touch, immaculate bob bouncing, "did your mother never teach you that eavesdropping is rude?" Her pleasant smile never wavered. She was a picture of politeness before a vile, uncultured beast.

"Slytherin's Eyes and Ears can't be worried about what's good and proper. The last time I did that," she shuddered theatrically, rubbing the place where _his _mark would be. Grey and fading, but always there, "it ended poorly." My fingers itched for my wand. Her easy countenance and perfect posture put me on edge, as if I were too close to a poisonous viper."Anyways. I'll come too, Head Girl. I've been looking to leave the castle with someone with a brain. Besides, my wine is looking a touch lonely. A nice bottle of Ogden's would give her some company."

Theo quirked am eyebrow as the normally hostile young woman smiled openly towards me. My stomach turned with misplaced fear. I faced a monster, stabbed an auror, and was currently walking head first into a marriage with a stranger, yet, her sparkling eyes caused a shiver to slither down my spine.

"Theodore don't look at me that way. Daphne and Astoria have sand where their brains should have been and since Miss. Granger's blood is no longer of the unpopular sort, she's to become my new best friend."

"Except that's not how it works." My bitter tone caused her glittering eyes to dart down towards me. She was tall even without the stilettos, "seven years of bullying and prejudice don't just disappear. You were disgusting to me and my friends. That's not gonna go away just because you slap some half assed explanation on it."

"It's what we were taught." She was as unapologetic as ever, "should you have been taught that others were less that others were-."

"Detestable? Disgusting? Vile? Uncouth?"

"You'd _understand _that-,"

"I can make my own choices. I've fought for magical creatures, I fought for a world that hated me! You won't have my sympathy because you weren't smart enough to-," Her composition fractured the more I yelled. Her facade was coming undone.

"You were raised that way!" Her calmness shattered and the jagged shards floated around her desperately, "you were raised to be kind."

"And you were raised to be death eaters?" My mouth was working faster than my mind as she shouted back at me. She would not make herself the victim. I wouldn't let her take the pain and the hate that she'd directed at me and flip it. I wouldn't become the bad guy here.

"No," my voice cracked as I continued to scream up at her, "you _chose_ to be a death eater," fire scorched across my skin and then wet, sticky, blood dripped along the curve of my cheek. I hissed the last part, "and there's nothing you can say or do to change that."

"He was in our homes. Torturing our mothers, raping our sisters. While you and Potter were off running around the woods we were here. Constantly suffering. Constantly afraid. How far would you go to save your mother?"

"I would never-," my anger crackled around me in the face of her rage. She'd suffered? Had she lost her parents? Did she still wake up remembering the fear that came with never knowing if your loved ones were okay? I held tight to my bleeding cheek staring defiantly. No matter what, I'd never have become a Death Eater.

Her tinkling voice reached impossible octaves as she stared down at me wide eyed. "You're a liar!" Tears welled up in crackling emerald eyes, "my mother is everything to me and if that makes me a monster in your book," heavy tears stained with mascara painted her pale cheeks in runny black streaks, "then fine." She turned on her heels and ran quickly towards the exit, wiping furiously at her face.

"Is there a reason you start all your friendships this way?" Theo's flat expression and cold eyes made me look away, "all of us suffered. Narcissa's life was always on the line. Do you know how many times he was held down and forced to watch as they beat and raped and cursed the woman he loved most?"

"No," my voice was small and hoarse from the screaming. I ignored the guilt that raged like nausea, "but these people tormented me, needlessly. Constantly, am I to just...forgive them?" I didn't look away from my place of the floor.

"You'll do whatever you think is right."

"But-," the sound of chairs scraping against hardwood let me know they were leaving.

"There are no butts, Hermione. You're an adult. Act like one. That impulsive Gryffindor bullshit isn't doing you any favors. Is it?"

XxXxX

Theo was properly upset with me. He sat silently on the other side of the cabin we now shared, staring angrily at the dirty wood.

Until the tower was rebuilt Theo and I were stuck in Hagrid's dirty, old cabin. Year old stains had soaked into the furniture like disease. There was no amount of scrubbing or bleaching that had yielded noticeable results.

"Pansy is still inconsolable." His square jaw was clenched tight, like he was struggling to keep his nasty thoughts to himself.

I cast another charm. No luck.

"I see." I busied myself with a stained cushion. His rage was sharp and acrid.

"You're too selfish."

That got my attention, "Excuse you? How am _I _too selfish? I sacrificed-,"

"Yeah, you sacrificed everything, but so did we."

"My mother is in Australia, blissfully unaware that she has a daughter-,"

"Yeah, and my mother is dead. I'll never see her again, but she died for this. For us. Pansy and Draco has been led by the nose, desperate to keep the women who gave them _life _safe and -during the last battle- turned on it all." When I was quiet he stepped closer, "we risked it all and our only reward is being called Death Eaters by the people we fought to protect."

His thumb brushed against my cheek, smearing something along my skin, "Hermione. We're all hurting." Tears dripped down his face and his voice quivered, "with the new law and the aftermath of last year...too many of us are broken. Don't be the reason that number increases."

A shuddering sigh passed my lips, "I have to apologize." He smirked a bit.

"You do, but luckily for you good whiskey is a great apology."

_A.N./ Thought? Concerns? Let me know. _


End file.
